Because we wanted to cruise around the Mediterrean and visit certain countries. The special deal was a very good offer. This was our second cruise through Princess line and really enjoyed our first so this was how we came to our decision. We opted for a balcony stateroom this time and to wake up with a different view in the morning was great. The process of embarkation was smooth and staff were wonderful. Food was good and plentiful. The speciality restaurant was very good. Downside is the decor needs sprucing up. Looking a bit shabby. The other problem was with the doona. It was a heavy doona and although we have the airconditioning up high it was very hot. Some other passengers said the same thing. We ended up removing the doona and settled with two sheets instead. The shore excursions were very good. Information was relayed to us promptly and efficiently. The entertainment was excellent! As it was on the previous cruise. Very happy with this. Read Less

We chose this ship as we wanted a Mediterranean cruise in a club class cabin#D417 less expensive than offered by Regent Seven Seas. The ship was very modern with a decent size cabin and very good bed linen and balcony . Our cabin steward was excellent and he provided canapes every day but there was little choice. We had two large TVs to keep us amused. The ship was very quiet and smooth even in rough weather which we experienced, the Captain wisely decided to skip a couple of ports due to weather but no abatement of other onboard credit was offered for loss of Toulon and Kotor as we had found when ports were missed on other cruise lines. The Club class section of the restaurant was rather odd as people were seated always according to how they walked in the door. That is to say if you were a couple you were always seated on your own and never allowed to share unless you arranged to share outside the entrance. I seemed the privilege of space was what Club class was all about and the food was the same wherever you sat except the maître'd sometimes prepared a simple dish some pasta or ready made crepes. Waiter service was always excellent and prompt unlike in other restaurants with eight people to a table service would be slower. So the entertainment in the theatre was very good and some of the best we have seen A wonderful Billy Joe Earl act was the best. Not much in the way of enrichment programmes and the port lectures were not so good. On deck lots of noise which was hard to escape and the Sanctuary a quiet area was $40 per day and was aptly named. Public rooms were mainly focused on music and drinking and the library was poor. Films on offer in the cabin were mainly aimed at the very young or interested in catoon characters and the menu was poorly formatted. Normaly one would expect a synopsis in the daily journal on content of the TV Read Less

The food leaves much to be desired. The food buffet was horrible. The speciality restaurants and dining room were a notch above the food buffet. The friendliness of staff was non existent. The staff literally herd you on and off the boat like cattle. No smiles, not a please or thank you . Simple manners were non existent even with a lot of the passengers. The rooms and ship were clean. The Beds are super comfy. Room service had a very limited menu . Good wine selection but remember the gratituity they add on w each drink along with the daily gratuity charge for each passenger. The entertainment was somewhat cheesy. Couldn’t wait to get off the ship at each port ! Best thing about the cruise was being able to visit Spain , Great Britain, France and Italy in a short time. I can’t wait to do it again but not with this cruise or it’s affiliates. Read Less

We have cruised on Cunard, Carnival and Celebrity prior to this cruise. It was a very mixed bag and some things we liked better but on the whole it was not anywhere near as good as Celebrity or Cunard. Pro's The wardrobe space was very good, lots and lots of room for everything and many hangers. The TV was large and great viewing The staff overall were very friendly and helpful, especially the front desk service staff. Embarkation and Disembrkation were very quick and efficient. Great service at our table from Wait staff. A great Burger bar and pizzas and ice cream We liked all the different bars and lounge area, people could spread out so much there never seemed a full place Cons By far the worst food and drink we have ever had on a cruise ship and the single one reason why we would never cruise on a Princess ship again. Food for us is very important. The food in the main cafe was dreadful...on one day it was totally inedible. The 4 separate areas are confusing and on some days they were not all open which was confusing and very inconvenient as one of our party had mobility issues and could not walk to further areas. There was a beef curry that was so chewy one day we could not eat it. The head waiter was informed and he took my name and my cabin number ...unsurprisingly we heard nothing further. The food was pure slop and I have seen better food in school cafeterias. The lines at lunchtime for burgers and pizza were round the block, not surprising as the main cafe was so bad. The choices at breakfast were horrible and there was no fresh toast and muffins etc, you were expected to take one that had been previously cooked, cold and rubbery. Choices were about a third of that on Celebrity ships and it never ever looked fresh and appetising. Food in the dining room was hit and miss. Some was very nice some poor. I had a ravioli one evening that was just sheets of pasta with no filling. I sent back 3 meals in our 7 day cruise. Drinks were also very poor...especially as we didn't have a package so were paying as you go. Small measured drinks at 9-10 dollars that were not free poured like on other cruise lines, it was definitely nickel and dime time. It put us off buying the drinks they were so weak. Entertainment was also poor. 4 solo singers in 7 days is not variety and they were not that great. An unexpected day at sea due to not calling at Montenegro resulting in the entertainments team making a special announcement and going all out and adding ONE zumba class to the itinerary, funnily enough my 80 year old mother didn't feel like going to this. The tannoy on the ship was unbearably loud and when the screechy cruise director was making announcements you could see 50% of the people covering their ears, the music by the pool was also way too loud, we couldn't hear ourself think. There was also on the sea days a CD that was playing on a loop, about an hour so one day we had Gangnam Style and 'Im sexy and I know it' 7 times, it was unbearable. Sometimes the entertainment was not was advertised in the brochure. we would turn up to places only to be told the venue had changed or there was a deck party, again not easy to keep moving around if you have mobility issues Overall the ship is a little tired, especially the rooms and the balconies. Directions were poor and we found ourselves lost a few times, something we have never done on cruises before They bleat on constantly about keeping hands clean and using soap yet we all noticed that 2 out of 3 visits to the lavatories there was no soap. We decided to withdraw tips and just personally tipped or wait staff as we were not blown away by anyone and from Embarkation to Disembarkation I never once met our room boy, yet I knew the name of the gorgeous lady who looked after family members in the next few rooms. Overall a disappointing experience completely spoiled by silly measured drinks and school dinners in the cafe Read Less

We had previously taken an eastern Mediterranean cruise, which was highly enjoyable, and wanted to repeat the experience, this time taking in ports in the eastern end of the Med. We chose this particular cruise based on the time of year, and also based on the advertised claim that the Crown Princess (built in 2004-2006) had been 'refurbished' in March of 2018. We found this claim not to be true... the ship was rather tired, worn, and dated. While the public areas still looked good, we were very disappointed in our cabin, which had worn and damaged furniture. It is normally our practice to pick 'new' ships only... and were seduced by the 'refurbished' claim. We were very disappointed. The public areas looked a great deal better; perhaps it was only the public areas which received a makeover. Princess cannot be faulted, however, on service; every staff member, from the cabin steward to the dining room waiters, were outstanding. The dining experience was 'ok'. The service was impeccable, although the dining room food was perhaps not quite up to the level of the service. The food in the Horizon Court on the Lido deck was about what you might expect from a buffet restaurant: a good variety, nothing particularly outstanding, adequate for breakfast and lunch. The one 'premium' restaurant we tried was not worth the $29/pp up-charge. They did a good job in providing gluten-free options for my wife. Princess never misses an opportunity to make a buck, and one could spend a fair amount of money on various separately charged services... as well as all the on-board shopping. We didn't take advantage of any of that. The internet service was separately charged; we paid $69 for 120 minutes.... the speed was understandably slow, which we didn't mind, but the requirement to log in and out of each session using a browser (while the 120 minute clock was running) made it extremely inconvenient, especially for smart phones and things like my Kindle e-reader. One caution: using your cell phone while at sea could be outrageously expensive. My carrier, T-Mobile, provides for 25 cents/minute international roaming rates... but.... It wasn't made clear, in any of the Princess literature, but calls made while at sea are routed through the ship's own cellular service... and billed, to your regular cell phone provider, at $4.95 per minute! I only found out about this when my carrier (T-Mobile) sent me a text message warning me that I had built up over $250 in air time. The embarkation and debarkation at each port, and at the beginning and end of the cruise, were efficiently managed. We took only one excursion, to Gibraltar, which consisted of a bus ride to the cable car, and a ticket for the cable car (return transportation was on our own)... nothing to complain about. The evening entertainment was meager. There was only one 'production' show, called 'Magic To Do', which featured dancing, singing, and a few magic tricks... a lot of effort, not all that good. Other nights included a comedian (awful), and a Celine Dion tribute singer (we didn't go to those shows). The only thing I can compare the evening entertainment to, was a previous cruise on the Holland America line, which featured really superb production shows... but, then again, Holland America is a more 'upscale' cruise line. In general, we enjoyed our cruise, despite being disappointed in the condition of the ship, especially our cabin. The BEST thing about the cruise was the service staff.... in every single case, the staff was truly outstanding, from the cabin steward, to the waiters... it's one thing Princess does extremely well. Read Less

We went on our 1st cruise with Princess on our honeymoon and wanted to renew our vows on our 30 th Anniversary with Princess again. The service we experienced the 1st time was the deciding factor to use princess the second time around. Our best friends accompanied us. We arrived in Greece two days before we sailed and got to see the sites of Athens. When we arrived at the port we found it was very easy to check in and board the ship. Once on board we were able to go to room very quickly and get settled. We then got word that Francesca wanted to meet with us to go over the itinerary of our vow renewal. On the day we renewed We started off with a couples massage in the spa. It was pretty relaxing and set the mood for the entire day. The ceremony itself with nothing short of spectacular. The chapel was decorated accordingly and corsage and bouquet were supplied by the ship. It was part of the package I know it was but you still say i we started off with a couples massage in the spa. It was pretty relaxing and set the mood for the entire day. The ceremony itself with nothing short of spectacular. The chapel was decorated accordingly and corsage and bouquet were supplied by the ship. After the ceremony that was performed by Captain Lawes we had a photographer and a videographer follow us for our camera shoot. The captain even allowed us to go onto the bridge where we got some great shots and video. The ENTIRE experience is one I will never forget. Read Less

We have sailed on Norwegen, Holland America and Oceania., Chose this cruise based upon time of year and origin and final ports in the Mediterranean. The stateroom with balcony and the E-Z airfare were very affordable. Embarkation and disembarkation were very organized and well done. The public areas of the ship frequently were just a little smelly with sewer smell and on the promenade deck, the smoke exposure made it unpleasant to walk. Dining and food were quite mediocre in the Horizon dining area (cafeteria), Salty dog grill -as was service. Main dining room-Michelangelo- 2 nights-same server, Rafael, and very good service. 1 night with a less experienced server , service was slow and incomplete. Specialty restaurant-Crown Grill- food and service were excellent as expected-significant upcharge for specialty dining. Except for 1 port, our excursions were all through the ship. We were pleased with all the tours although the Best of the Bay of Naples:Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri tour was time limited and mediocre lunch was the only thing we did in Sorrento. The Pompeii guided tour was excellent and the guide, Luca clearly enjoyed giving this part of the tour. Of note, The Bon Appetit recommended Greek Classics in Corfu was lovely, relaxing and the cooking lesson was fun and tasty. Disappointed in the nickel and dime mentality of the Princess cruise line. The soda drink package included only 1 diet soda-choice-caffeinated cola. Non-caffeinated diet soda was an extra charge -disappointing for a type 1 diabetic. Paid for soda package and coffee packages and did not really get near the money's worth for either. Would not recommend non-alcoholic drink packages. Can't vouch for alcohol packages.Specialty meal at Crown Grill restaurant was similar in cost ( with the upcharge) and quality to quality restaurants near home but we enjoyed the experience anyway. Excursions were more expensive than what one could get on Trip Advisor, Viator but ease and assurance of the boat waiting in the event of a delay,were probably worth it. Probably will not become a loyalty member. We will be looking at other cruise line experiences especially for longer cruises Read Less

I had my concerns when I booked this cruise because of some of the reviews I read. However, the itinerary seemed great and I thought I'd give Princess a try. In the past, I have sailed Royal Carribean and Carnival. I was very impressed with my trip and would say I preferred my overall experience on princess over RC and Carnival. Things I liked: - the interior rooms, while still small, didn't feel as small because the room had a full closet and cabinet space. Also had a mini fridge and amazing beds and pillows. - great steward and overall staff on the ship. I didn't drink much but the lines at the bar always seemed minimal. - no need to check in and out your towel which I loved because it saves you time where other cruise lines I'd have to wait in line. - efficient boarding off the boat at stops. We even got to one port 30 minutes early. This is critical because you only get so much time at the stops and you don't want to spend a while trying to get off. - wonderful variety of food. Now it's still cruise food so I can't say it was spectacular but I always found something I enjoyed to eat and felt the variety was much better then RC. -the hours of the food buffet and other dining options was done well. It drives me crazy when cruises offer food and then at certain times they shut down or only have one thing open so you're waiting a while. This wasn't a problem and in general I never felt like finding a table to eat at was a problem -super smooth sailing this trip. I hardly knew I was on a boat. -not overwhelming upselling. Yes, they had posters up or commercials and flyers but it wasn't in my face. I could just flip the channel or throw out the flyer and move on with my day unlike some cruise lines that have people hounding you at the buffet to buy a speciality restaurant meal. - the tv actually really stood out to me in a good way. I like to watch tv to fall asleep and on other cruise lines the same thing plays so much over and over. Princess seems to play the same set each day so the next day you're on to the next episode and not the same one. Certainly wasn't a ton of channels but far better then other cruise lines I've sailed. The things that could be improved: - the shore excursions I felt were overpriced for what you get. I think a lot of people feel this way on cruises but compared to RC I'd say much more for the same type of thing in my opinion. -like most cruises, limited deck chairs on sea days - no worse then other cruise lines though -wish there was a bit more entertainment on the cruise. It wasn't terrible but I'd say average and very music oriented. Overall I loved my cruise with princess! Read Less

The ship is not one of their newer ships but I would still sail on it again. Bedding was very comfortable. The food and service was very good and could be compared to any very good restaurant in NYC. Entertainment was exceptional and always tied in with the city we visited. Loved the idea that they had two sides to the decks outside. One side showed movies and movies under the stars at night each night and the other side was for live entertainment you could then choose. Loved the idea that they were showing up to date movies. I was excited to see that they have zumba class and thoroughly enjoyed it and so did many other passengers that class was well attended! There was lots to do on sea days so they were just as enjoyable as days in the city it made for a very enjoyable trip. Embarkation and debarkation was orderly and easy. I traveled with my Son 19, my Nieces 18 & 14 and they had a great time! Read Less

We travel with Princess frequently and picked this cruise because we could celebrate our golden wedding anniversary during the cruise. The itinerary was similar to the cruise we took 10 years ago, with a few different stops. We did the traditional dining and had a wonderful time with the 3 other couples at our table. The ship was in great shape and we had upgraded to a full suite which was a wonderful experience. The food at the Crown Grill was fantastic. The food at the traditional dining was good, but the beef was not as tender as it has been on past cruises. Entertainment and activities were very good, especially the audience participation activities. The excursion packages were good - the one negative was that 3 days in a row the excursion ended at a time that did not allow us to eat at the early sitting of traditional dining. This could be fixed by either starting the excursion earlier or reducing the free time on the excursion. When you book the excursion prior to the cruise you do not have the times. We spent 3 days in Barcelona before getting on the ship - this was a great idea. We were well rested and in the right time zone before we embarked. This was our 5th Princess cruise and they are the best big ship cruise line in my opinion, especially for adults. Read Less